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Sunday, March 25, 2012

I am not hiking for a cause, but if I were (and maybe I will) this would be it...

If you are passionate about hiking, than you are passionate about our planet. Our planet is an amazing yet fragile place that has evolved over millions of years - but it is under threat. We have a duty to protect what we love, for ourselves and for our children.

My hike is about getting back to the source of all things - Nature - and then sharing that with people around me. You may believe that the source of all things is God, but let's not get into semantics. God = Nature and Nature = God. Both words refer to the beauty that is in humanity and in this planet, that we need to preserve for future generations.

If nothing else, I would like to bring awareness to people about the destructive cycle we are, as a culture, engaged in: to always move faster and faster and produce more and more.

I would like future generations to be able hike the Pacific Crest Trail and be absorbed in nature as I will have the great privilege to be. If I can awaken even one person from the "consumerist machine" and give that person awareness of the impact our way of life has on our planet and our species, then I will feel successful.

This video has an amazing message. Don't let the alarmist tone detract from enjoying the visual experience! You may want to turn the volume off and play it with other music, but my hope is that you will come away feeling a greater sense of responsibility to our home.

Saturday, March 24, 2012

I have just a month to go until I hit the trail, but spring is already in full bloom here in Southern Arizona. To test out my new Canon S100 I took a short drive over to the Tohono Chul Park botanical garden and found the birds chirping and the flowers blooming. It's amazing how just a little excursion into nature - albeit man-made nature - can lift your spirits and refresh your attitude. Click on each image to see the full size picture. Enjoy!

Sunday, March 4, 2012

It has been close to eight months since I made a commitment to hike the Pacific Crest Trail in mid-July, and probably a year or more since the idea first entered my consciousness. In my journal, since August 14th, I have been keeping a running countdown of the weeks left until I will say goodbye to my friends and family and set out on this adventure - and now that list is almost all crossed off! Each weekend I cross out the prior week so that visually I can see the progress toward my goal. There are now just six weeks until I turn in my keys to my apartment, pack my belongings into storage, and then drive up to Idaho to spend some time with my mom and make final preparations before flying to San Diego on April 26th. My patience over the past eight months has been tested more than ever before, and I feel extremely anxious. I know there is value in this space I am in right now - I just need to learn to appreciate it. It is an interesting feeling being so near to a goal and knowing that it is inevitable, yet still feeling like it is so far away. Six weeks still feels like an eternity to me.